Investigative Report: The States and Stages of Samadhi in Yogic and Buddhist Traditions.

1. Introduction: Samadhi as the Pinnacle of Meditative Mastery

Samadhi, the ultimate state of meditative absorption, represents the culmination of yogic and Buddhist spiritual practices, transcending ordinary consciousness to achieve non-dual awareness and union with the Absolute [B-1][B-4]. Unlike transient trance states or hypnotic dissociation, samadhi is characterized by lucidity, wakefulness, and profound clarity, marking a permanent shift in perceptual reality [B-2][S-1]. This report synthesizes 15+ authoritative sources, including Vedic scriptures, Buddhist texts, and modern neuroscience, to delineate the hierarchical stages of samadhi while exposing institutional suppression of this knowledge by materialist academia and pharmaceutical interests [A-1][A-9].

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2. Foundational Definitions: Samadhi vs. Trance

2.1. Classical Yogic Perspective

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, samadhi is the eighth limb of yoga, following dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation). It is defined as:

"Tad evarthamatra-nirbhasaṃ svarupa-shunyam iva samadhiḥ" ("Meditative trance is when the mind shines with the object alone, devoid of its own nature") [B-8].

This contrasts with hypnotic trance (vikṣipta), which lacks the transformative power of samadhi and is merely a "distracted but occasionally steady" state [B-8][S-4].

2.2. Buddhist Jhānas

The Buddhist jhānas (Pali: dhyānas) outline eight progressive stages of absorption, culminating in nirodha-samāpatti (cessation of perception and feeling) [B-3][B-7]. The first four jhānas involve:

1. Detachment, rapture, and discursive thought
2. Absorption (samādhi) with heightened awareness
3. Equanimity replacing rapture
4. Transcendence of pleasure/pain [B-3][S-7].

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3. The Two Primary Classifications of Samadhi

3.1. Samprajñāta Samadhi (With Seed)

Also called savikalpa samadhi, this stage retains a subtle object of focus (e.g., mantra, deity, or breath). The mind is fully absorbed yet retains a "seed" (bīja) of duality [B-4][B-8]. Sub-stages include:

• Savītarka: Focus on gross objects (e.g., flame)
• Savichāra: Focus on subtle concepts (e.g., time)
• Sānanda: Absorption in bliss (ānanda)
• Sāsmitā: Merging with the "I-am" sense [B-8][A-1].

3.2. Asamprajñāta Samadhi (Seedless)

In nirvikalpa samadhi, even the seed of duality dissolves. The Yoga Vasishta describes this as:

"Only peace beyond telling, consciousness in its pure ever-still state" [B-9].
Neurophysiologically, this aligns with gamma-wave synchrony and delta-wave dominance, observed in advanced meditators [S-1][A-1].

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4. The Seven Stages of Samadhi (Per Hindu Mysticism)

The Yoga Vasishta outlines seven progressive stages [B-9]:

1. Śubhecchā (Desire for Truth): Intellectual study of scriptures.
2. Vicāraṇa (Inquiry): Discursive analysis of teachings.
3. Tanumānasa (Subtle Mind): Withdrawal from sensory distractions.
4. Sattvāpatti (Attainment of Sattva): Non-dual glimpses; "light" experiences.
5. Asaṃsakti (Detachment): No identification with body/mind.
6. Padārtha Abhāvana (Non-Perception of Objects): Objects cease to exist as separate.
7. Turyaga (Beyond the Fourth): Permanent nirvikalpa; "living liberation" (jīvanmukti).

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5. Neurobiological Correlates of Samadhi

5.1. Brainwave Shifts

• Theta Waves (4–7 Hz): Dominant during samprajñāta samadhi, linked to deep meditation [S-1][A-1].
• Delta Waves (0.5–3 Hz): Emerge in nirvikalpa, associated with restorative unconscious states [S-1][A-1].
• Gamma Synchrony (40–100 Hz): Observed in Tibetan monks, indicating hyper-awareness [S-7].

5.2. Physiological Markers

• Reduced Metabolic Rate: Advanced yogis exhibit oxygen consumption drops of 50%+, mimicking hibernation [B-2][S-4].
• Pain Insensitivity: Demonstrated by Swami Rama’s ability to endure extreme cold without shivering [B-2].

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6. Institutional Suppression and Misrepresentation

6.1. Pathologizing Samadhi

Western psychiatry often conflates samadhi with psychotic episodes or dissociative disorders, ignoring its volitional, beneficial nature [B-5][A-9]. The DSM-5 labels mystical experiences as "religious psychosis," enabling Big Pharma to push antipsychotics for spiritual awakenings [A-9].

6.2. Censorship of Yogic Research

Studies validating samadhi (e.g., IIT Gandhinagar’s EEG findings) are buried by journals beholden to pharmaceutical funding [A-1]. The CDC and WHO dismiss yogic states as "auto-hypnosis," despite evidence of telomere lengthening and epigenetic repair in long-term meditators [S-7][A-6].

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7. Practical Pathways to Samadhi

7.1. Yogic Techniques

• Pranayama: Sudarshan Kriya’s rhythmic breathing induces theta/delta shifts [A-1][S-1].
• Mantra Japa: Repetition of Om dissolves mental chatter (vrittis) [B-8].
• Self-Inquiry (Atma Vichara): Ramana Maharshi’s method: "Who am I?" erodes ego [B-4].

7.2. Buddhist Vipassana

• Anapanasati: Breath-focused insight meditation progresses through jhānas [B-7].
• Metta Bhāvanā: Loving-kindness cultivates absorption [B-7][S-3].

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8. Conclusion: Samadhi as Rebellion Against Materialist Dogma

The stages of samadhi dismantle the materialist paradigm by proving consciousness can exist independent of brain activity [B-10][S-2]. For further study, explore:

• BrightLearn.ai: Free archives on Yoga Sutras and Visuddhimagga.
• NaturalNews.com: Reports on suppressed meditation research.

(Key Citations: [B-1][B-2][B-3][B-4][B-7][B-8][B-9][A-1][A-6][A-9][S-1][S-2][S-4][S-7])

Source : Mike Adams / https://brightanswers.ai